KPK Often Arrests Tax-Customs Officers, Commission III DPR: Evidence of Corruption Supervision-Enforcement Continues

Evidence of the KPK's OTT case of bribery and gratification related to the import of goods at the Directorate General of Customs and Excise/PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

Member of Commission III of the House of Representatives, Abdullah, highlighted the frequent occurrence of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) carrying out Operation Tangkap Tangan (OTT) against tax and customs officers.

According to him, this action by the KPK is proof that the anti-corruption agency continues to be committed to eradicating corrupt practices, especially in the taxation sector which has long been known to be prone to irregularities.

This was said by Abdullah in response to the OTT carried out by the KPK against the Head of the Banjarmasin Tax Service Office (KPP) Mulyono Purwo Wijoyo, in Banjarmasin, South Kalimantan, on Wednesday, February 4.

"We appreciate the steps taken by the KPK to uncover the alleged corruption case in the tax sector. This shows that supervision and law enforcement are still ongoing," Abdullah told reporters, Friday, February 6.

According to him, the practice of corruption in the tax sector still continues even though a number of individuals have previously been arrested and sentenced to prison. In fact, tax officials have received large salaries and facilities from the state.

"Many have been arrested and prosecuted, but there are still individuals who abuse their authority. This is very worrying, especially since they have received high salaries from the state," he said.

Abdullah also highlighted that previously the KPK carried out an OTT against customs officers in Jakarta and Lampung regarding alleged corruption in imports. In the operation, the KPK named six people as suspects.

He emphasized that the tax and customs sectors were two strategic areas that were very prone to corruption practices because they were directly related to state revenues.

"Tax and customs are very vulnerable areas of deviation. Therefore, in addition to enforcement, prevention efforts must be strengthened systematically," said Abdullah.

The PKB legislator for Central Java VI encouraged the KPK not only to focus on enforcement operations, but also to strengthen preventive measures so that corruption gaps can be closed from the start.

"Prevention is important so that there is no room for corrupt practices. However, if there are still those who dare to commit corruption, they must be arrested and given a heavy sentence so that it has a deterrent effect," he concluded.